How can we get a new course in Vancouver, WA?

So given the rapid rise of disc golf in the Portland/Vancouver Metro Area the only two legit Metro Area courses, Pier Park and Leverich Park, get reaaally crowded these days.

I was talking with some friends and we're curious what it would take to get a Pier Park level course in the Vancouver/Ridgefield/BG area.

The Vancouver area is just dying for a top-level course, Leverich is nice but it's a pitch and putt minus #3 and #10.

With Glenwood, Lev and a Newer more difficult course Vancouver would be quite the DG Town and would have 3 courses that would cater to players of all skill levels. Surely another top course would ease the traffic that Pier and Lev see as well.

Basically I'm just wondering what can we do to make this happen? Has anyone tried? Have Parks and Rec shot it down? Are there any parks or areas that have potential?

Are you a member of Stumptown, or any of the many groups and individuals working hard for DG in this area?

Have you joined any leagues?

Put $$ in the Pier park donation lately?

Bought merchandise, discs, and equipment from the many local sponsors of events and let them know that you bought it there because they sponsor us?

There is many conversations happening in the back ground, but the wheels turn slow. "The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few". We need all the motivated volunteers we can get. Join some work parties, seek out the people making things happen right now. I assure you they are trying hard. There is talk of 3+ courses in the Vancouver area either new or old ones being modified. Also real movement, albeit slower then we all hope on a spectacular course just outside of Vancouver too. But many factors are still at work in making this happen. Not the least is Politics, Volunteers, Sponsors, and Money.

Help out, donate time and money, pick up the litter, join some clubs, we need everyone!

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Are you a member of Stumptown, or any of the many groups and individuals working hard for DG in this area?

Have you joined any leagues?

Put $$ in the Pier park donation lately?

Bought merchandise, discs, and equipment from the many local sponsors of events and let them know that you bought it there because they sponsor us?

There is many conversations happening in the back ground, but the wheels turn slow. "The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few". We need all the motivated volunteers we can get. Join some work parties, seek out the people making things happen right now. I assure you they are trying hard. There is talk of 3+ courses in the Vancouver area either new or old ones being modified. Also real movement, albeit slower then we all hope on a spectacular course just outside of Vancouver too. But many factors are still at work in making this happen. Not the least is Politics, Volunteers, Sponsors, and Money.

Help out, donate time and money, pick up the litter, join some clubs, we need everyone!

You need permits and money, Who is going to keep up the course when its in? Mowing and picking up garage? The city does not want to pay for it.

PDGA 38153
STUMPTOWN 158

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You sound jaded topdawgy, that's too bad. By your numbers you've been in DG for a while, much longer than I. I'm sure you have faced many frustrations with the state and city hoops to create a course.
An option I have heard and seen work would be considering pay to park or play on destination quality courses. This would pay for the required maintenance person or private landscape firm to maintain weekly. I believe, due to talking to people wiser and more connected than I, that would be a viable solution to create funds to maintain the course once it is installed, and the statistics of usage even at half would still meet the needed funds. With effort, sponsorship can be raised to achieve all necessary permit and equipment fees for the initial install.
I think it really depends on how bad we want to make Vancouver have a great 18 basket course, or if we will all just settle for playing in Portland's back yard, waiting for 5+ minutes Friday afternoon to tee off at Leverich, or just plain sucking wind against Portland's great selection of courses. There is no reason we cannot have a great course, or turn a current one into a full 18 destination quality. Time, Politics, and Money are always the factor no matter what you are trying to build.
If I am not able to get it moving with my efforts, I am willing to step out of the way and let someone with more ambition or connections get there. The city does not have to pay for the models that are working in other areas, no reason we cannot adopt those here. The city also gets motivated by the real statistics of people actually using parks. Leverich is a prime example of success in this area of usage regardless of weather or time of day. Maybe we all need to learn to speak there language to assure we are asking the right questions. What does the city or state want us to do to get a yes? What is in our way of getting a yes on this course? If this area does not work what area could we try to get a yes on? How can we as a DG community solve a problem for the City or State in order to get the yes we are looking for? If the person we are talking to can only say "no" who do we talk to that can say yes?
The parks and rec people love to show there jobs are serving a large segment of the community and are needed for there particular park or area. If we can show a real flow of people, with solid statistics, a viable revenue stream we can get past the initial hurdle. Pie in the sky? Maybe, but I am willing to try because I want a destination quality 18 basket course in Vancouver really bad.

PDGA# 49616
Stumptown# 353
OTDG: Young Guns - SAT

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If you haven't met him or talked to him yet, Steve Carson is the man. He has been working closely with the parks department in Vancouver for a while now. Steve IS the reason we have Leverich Park. He can help you get the ball rolling or tell you were the parks department is at. His handle on here is Wog. Send him a message.

So given the rapid rise of disc golf in the Portland/Vancouver Metro Area the only two legit Metro Area courses, Pier Park and Leverich Park, get reaaally crowded these days.

I was talking with some friends and we're curious what it would take to get a Pier Park level course in the Vancouver/Ridgefield/BG area.

The Vancouver area is just dying for a top-level course, Leverich is nice but it's a pitch and putt minus #3 and #10.

With Glenwood, Lev and a Newer more difficult course Vancouver would be quite the DG Town and would have 3 courses that would cater to players of all skill levels. Surely another top course would ease the traffic that Pier and Lev see as well.

Basically I'm just wondering what can we do to make this happen? Has anyone tried? Have Parks and Rec shot it down? Are there any parks or areas that have potential?

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I fully agree, Steve Carson is the one individual that makes things happen in Vancouver. I really appreciate all his hard work with Stumptown, Firefly, Leverich Park, all the sponsors (Huge Impact). In addition all the many tournaments, meetings behind the scenes, and slow progression of keeping the ball moving forward while trying to maintain what is in. He works tirelessly for us. Then in his spare time tries to promote the sport on the news, smooth over local residents that take issue with disc golf in the parks, and train rookies like me how to play the game and the politics. Steve is truly a great asset to us in Vancouver, and the region. In addition I would add Ryan Gwillum to that list of key people that have made a huge difference for DG in Vancouver. But there is another list of people that are always helping, asking for no glory, and there is still a need for more to make things happen.

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Yeah when I play Pier I treat it likee Horning's and drop 3 bucks in the box everytime and I'm there daily. I should probably join Stumptown and start volunteering asap as well. Anywho my thinking is that these type of things can take years of fundraising and planning and with the current growth the sport in the area, 2
-3 years from now the overcrowding could border on dangerous to golfers and parkgoers as well as destructive to the courses and the parks that house them. And yeah big ups to Steve Carson we'd probably be stuck with WSU-V if it wasn't for him.

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Speaking of WSU-V...I have a meeting next week to talk with the Office of Student Involvment about their future plans to expand their course to an 18 hole course. I'm going armed with the recent survey numbers from Leverich Park and going to encourage them to work with the local disc golf community to build a tournament level 18 hole course that could draw collegiate championships to the West Coast and encourage students to come to their Vancouver Campus.

I'll let you all know how that goes after I meet with them.

We could put an 18 hole (or more) course in Arnold Park if we had the money. Unfortunately we are not talking tens but hundreds of thousands of dollars to do this. However, I'm cautiously optimistic that we could raise that kind of money if we get the right people excited about the sport. The reason for the huge cost is because of the need for parking, restrooms and a bridge to access the park. Anyone have an in with Paul Allen, Bill Gates, Nike, the Firstenburgs or the Probstra families?

Finally, I am looking to share the load and plan to have a meeting of the minds in September. My goal is to assemble a team of dedicated behind the scene workers that will help us raise money and establish a pool of volunteers for the future.

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Yeah when I play Pier I treat it likee Horning's and drop 3 bucks in the box everytime and I'm there daily. I should probably join Stumptown and start volunteering asap as well. Anywho my thinking is that these type of things can take years of fundraising and planning and with the current growth the sport in the area, 2
-3 years from now the overcrowding could border on dangerous to golfers and parkgoers as well as destructive to the courses and the parks that house them. And yeah big ups to Steve Carson we'd probably be stuck with WSU-V if it wasn't for him.

Props for supporting Pier's Donation Box. Portland Public Parks has been pleasantly surprised by the support disc golfers have been giving them. Donated money has already been used to purchase grass seed and some supplies to be used to improve or upkeep the disc course.

Stumptown would love to have you as a member. Come on out to Stub Stewart this weekend and check us out!

Jeff

"You won't like me when I am angry, because I always back up my rage with facts and documented sources". - The Credible Hulk

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As a student at WSU-V I'd absolutely love to contribute to the revitalization of the course up there. With all the property they have their it has so much potential. It also fits nicely between Vancouver-BG/Ridgefield area. For those golfers who happen to be a little further north on I5.

Oh yeah at the meeting be sure and mention how successful the University of Oregon's collegiate disc golf team is. Most of us WSU students would love the oppurtunity to beat up on the Ducks someday

Thanks to everyone for their input and information was exactly what I was looking for.

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As a student at WSU-V I'd absolutely love to contribute to the revitalization of the course up there....

We had a good meeting today. The Student Services office is excited about the opportunity, but they don't make the final decisions. They did say they will take it the next step and are interested in planning a field trip to bring some decision makers that might not be familiar with the sport to a course like Pier to get an idea what we are talking about.